Rebroken
by AmIStillFeeling
Summary: Robin and Raven began dating following a heated moment during a mission together. Weeks later, they have broken up. But their affair has had consequences foreseen and unforeseen, and now that they want Starfire and Beast Boy to look at them again, they're finding trust harder to regain. And neither one is used to being the pursuer... Bbrae, Robstar.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** This story has three genres: Angst, Drama, and Romance. Despite how it begins, it will end as bbrae and robstar.

Also, _I'm back._

* * *

"I think we should break up."

Clearly, there was something wrong with their relationship when those words caused so little pain to hear, or say. In fact, it was a relief.

The common room had been destroyed, courtesy of Raven's powers and the high emotions of the short, but violent argument she just had with Nightwing. The two of them had only been dating a couple weeks now, but apparently, that was enough.

It hurt her, that a relationship with her was evidently so intolerable, but that was all- not that he had just requested to break things off. And not that she nodded in return. "We should. It will just be more of… this." She murmured, gesturing to the wreckage around them.

It was in the heat of the moment that their relationship began. A mission together, alone, that had gone south. It was beginning to look like they weren't going to make it out alive. Neither could remember who started it or why, but neither wanted to fight it as they pressed themselves against each other as closely as they could, pawing all over the other's body looking for somewhere to hold.

After they _did_ make it out of their hiding place in one piece, they both agreed it would be best to leave it as a one-time thing. Nightwing had Starfire to think about, after all. But even so, it wasn't long after they got home that they found themselves in the other's arms again.

It was easy at first, what they had. The ice seemed long since broken, they didn't need to talk. It was easy for her to call him up to her room, where no one would bother them. It was easy for him to ask her to stay after training, while the others rested.

When the affair started growing too big to hide, They made the decision to just announce that they were in a relationship to the team. It would hurt Star less than if she found out by accident, they thought. They underestimated her reaction.

Starfire left the tower for a week, after letting loose on them both a variety of choice Tamaranean insults and curses, and when she returned, she refused to speak to either of them. She still to this day hadn't said a word to Nightwing, and only the tersest of greetings to Raven. Instead, she had begun spending her time with Cyborg and Beast Boy.

Speaking of Beast Boy, Nightwing hadn't expected a reaction from him at all. Maybe some teasing, some jokes. He was blindsided by the depression his younger teammate slipped into, and how he barricaded himself in his room, the same way he had with Terra.

It had been a difficult few weeks for the new couple even before their fighting began.

* * *

When Starfire returned from her week-long self-imposed exile, back before the arguments started, it was in the dead of night, and she went straight to Beast Boy's door. It was the first time since the announcement that he had opened his door for anyone. Garfield couldn't imagine he'd ever forget what he saw: Starfire, her hair a dirty mess, wearing the same costume she had left in, now ripped and filthy, and desperately trying to hold herself back from crying her eyes out right there on his doorstep. She barely managed to choke out "Why did he not want me?" before grabbing him in a hug and slamming his door shut behind her.

She used his shower that night, insisting that she did not wish to offend him with her bodily odors after having spent the last week alone in the woods where no one could bother her. Once she was out and dressed in his borrowed civvies, they sat together in the common room. The TV was off, the lights were out, and no teammates stirred to disturb them, least of all _those two._

Starfire was a very perceptive person, especially with emotions. Raven may have been an empath, but she had little in the way of understanding. Starfire perceived emotions just as well as Raven could sense them, and she understood near-flawlessly. That was how she knew of Beast Boy's love for Raven when Raven herself seemed so oblivious.

She thought it a horrible thing, but some part of her was glad to have a friend who was suffering with her for the same reason.

"Hey, Star." He whispered haltingly, like he hadn't spoken in a while. He probably hadn't, she realized. "Want to see something?"

Anything was better than sitting around and moping, so she nodded her agreement. He stood and took her by the hand, leading her into the elevator. He pushed a number for a floor that she couldn't remember ever being on, and took her down into the basement levels, deep below the tower.

When the door opened, it was a huge room full of boxes, arranged into almost a maze. Beast Boy took her in, weaving through the box-maze with familiarity, and took her behind a large wall of the aforementioned boxes.

She couldn't help but smile a little at what she saw. Beast Boy had hollowed out a clearing among the boxes on this storage level, scattered pillows and rugs all over the concrete floor, and was keeping a pile of comic books in the corner. There was a metal shelf with snacks stocked on it, a boombox, and the end of an extension cord with a power strip connected to it in case he wanted to plug anything in. Beast Boy had built himself a little den down here, to keep him away from the pain aboveground.

"So, whatddya think?" He asked, still a bit raspy.

"I think… it is a good beginning, Beast Boy, however… a little more, and we could do the improving."

* * *

In the dead of night, before the sun could rise, the heartbroken pair found a thrift store somehow still open, and purchased a few more things that Starfire suggested, including an old couch, a minifridge and a few floor lamps, and took them back to what they began calling their "hideout." That done, they raided a storage room of back-up furniture and found a table and chairs.

It had become their getaway. Whenever the stress of seeing their love in the arms of the others' got too hard, one of them would go down there. And every time, they were never alone for long until the other showed up.

And today, the day that, so far unbeknownst to them, Nightwing and Raven had broken up, that was where they were headed together. Starfire had knocked on his bedroom door in their particular, special way, letting him know that she wanted him to come with her to the hideout. When he emerged, he found her carrying a large, flat object covered in a cloth. He followed her down, wondering what it was, but when he asked her in the elevator, he only got a smirk in response.

Once in their lair, Starfire calmly hung the object on a nail she had apparently driven into the wall some time prior, and pulled off the cloth. Beast Boy had to choke back a laugh; it was a dartboard… with a picture of Nightwing's obliviously smiling face taped to the middle.

"Starfire… is that-" He began.

"It is!" She chirped, feeling better than she had in quite some time. "I wish I could have procured a less flattering photo, but I am pleased enough with this one. I am hoping to relieve some stress tonight."

Beast Boy watched with unconcealed amusement (and perhaps a little vindictiveness) as Starfire floated over to the couch and plopped down, grabbing an impressive pile of darts on their side table, and made a big show of lining up her throw, shutting one eye and stretching her arm forward and back. When she did throw, it got Nightwing right in the eye. Starbolts were not the only thing she was good at shooting. Beast Boy reminded himself not to get on her bad side.

Seeing what their intrepid leader has gotten himself into is frightening enough without thinking of putting himself in Nightwing's position.

"Pardon me for taking the first of the turns, Beast Boy," Starfire said, "I have brought a photo for you to perforate as well!" And she showed him a picture of Raven. This one _was_ rather unflattering, as it showed her attempting to stuff an entire waffle in her mouth, apparently at a time when they were in a hurry. Cyborg must have taken this one. Despite the rather out of character, unattractive nature of the photo, just seeing her face made something deep in his chest clench, and his breath hitch.

"...No thanks, Starfire, you can keep going. Maybe later." He sank back into the couch and watched Starfire wreck Nightwing's face. He knew he would just feel worse trying to take out his rage and sadness on Raven, even indirectly. Unlike Starfire, who was radiating fury, he just felt hollowed out and empty.

Starfire finally ran out of darts, and stood to retrieve them. When she had pulled all of them from the board, she also ripped off the picture of Nightwing, and tacked on Raven's picture in it's place. She sat back down on the sofa, but, seeing Beast Boy to her right looking dejectedly away, she set down her darts and laid her hand on his shoulder- The shoulder furthest from her, that is- and pulled him in tight. "Forgive me, friend," she started. "In my own anger, I neglected to consider that I would be harming you by doing the reminding of her..."

Beast Boy sighed, but leaned into her, making it almost a cuddle. "It's fine, Star, I don't wanna keep you from workin' through things your own way… I just... I dunno. I don't really feel angry"

Starfire rubbed his shoulder, and took hold of his hand with her free one. "Beast Boy, what _do_ you feel, then?"

"I… Star, it's kinda stupid. I don't wanna talk much about it."

Now sitting up straight, Starfire made him look directly into her eyes, green meeting green- one a lush forest, the other unearthly, and powerful. "Friend Beast Boy, you have done an admirable job of the consoling and the comforting for me during this trying period. I ask that you _please_ allow me to do this for you in return."

Beast Boy blinked, not just a little intimidated, and relented. "Okay, Star. I just… I already knew that I was out of her league, but it hurts to see it confirmed. Hurts a lot, y'know?"

Starfire blinked back a bit of moisture boiling in her eyelids, pushing down her sadness and rage at what Raven has allowed him to feel. She resumed rubbing his shoulder and his hand, drawing him even closer into her embrace than he was before. "Beast Boy… That is _not true._ She is most certainly _not_ thebetter of you. You must _cease_ in believing these lies you have told yourself."

"It's not a lie, Starfire. Every girl I've ever met… they've all been too good for me. Jillian, Terra… Raven most of all. I mean, I'm _green._ What girl's gonna want _that?_ " His tone was resigned. Like the words he spoke were a fact that he had to believe in regardless of how much he hated it.

Starfire took her hand off of his so she could clench her fist safely. "If Raven was not so _blinded,_ She could have seen how you felt about her. If she were not so _foolish…"_

Beast Boy laughed. A bitter laugh that told stories of suffering. "Star… Rae- I mean, Raven isn't blinded. She knew how I felt. I mean, she's an _empath._ She knows how ALL of us feel, remember? We talked about it once."

"Talked… about your feelings for her? Is that what you are saying?" Something unpleasant was welling up inside of Starfire. Her finely tuned emotional instincts were telling her that disaster was imminent. She was certainly about to learn something horrible. "You are saying to me that you and Raven have discussed your romantic feelings for her, correct?"

"Yeah." Was the answer she dreaded. "It was back before… back before the two of them got together. A long time before."

"Beast Boy... You do not need to tell me about it. However, I would greatly appreciate it if you would relay to me the events to which you refer." Her voice came out measured, precise.

Beast Boy leaned back into the couch, wetting his lips and going over, in his mind, what had happened to him, before he started his story.

* * *

In the form of a peregrine falcon he landed on the roof, slowing his descent with massive, powerful wings, and returned seamlessly to human form as soon as his claws touched the concrete.

Two hours ago, Raven had requested that he meet her on the roof after training, and that there was something that she wished to speak with him about in private. It was _very_ rare that she did anything like that, and he couldn't help but be excited. He really did like his friend and teammate, and the thought of spending time alone with her, especially when _she_ was the one that asked him to meet her? He knew it was not just friendly affection that made his heart pound in his chest, butterflies alight in his stomach, and his palms sweat. He had no illusions that his feelings for her were that felt toward a friend, or sibling. And as remote a possibility as it felt like it might be, he could smell the nervous emotions coming off of her when she asked, and now again as he approached her on the roof. She, too, was feeling something, and he hoped that maybe, _just maybe,_ she had called him here because she was also feeling affection not of a merely friendly nature.

"Heya, Rae." He said as he sat down beside her and sensed her nervous pheromones increase, before her emotions were battered back down. He could almost imagine her in Nevermore, trying to shut up all of the multi-colored Ravens that lived there, gagging one with her cloak while yelling at another. It almost made him snicker, but he didn't want her to think he was laughing at her.

"Beast Boy." She answered. "Good, you remembered."

"How could I… forget?" He answered. His odd pause owed to the fact he had initially intended to say "How could I turn you down?" but decided that, as he still didn't know why she called him out here, not to get too ahead of himself. As much as he wanted this to be about her confessing having romantic feelings about him too, it could be anything. He had to keep his excitement down.

She glanced at him, but didn't mention his self-correction. "I know you have feelings for me, Beast Boy." She said, quieter than usual. Her cheeks were a little red, as well.

Beast Boy felt his heart speed up, he started sweating from his palms again. This could be it, he thought. Every effort he spent to try to keep himself grounded was failing, and his breathing grew rapid, while Raven grew concerned.

"Please, try to relax, Garfield." Could anything sound better, he wondered, than his name, his _real name,_ spoken in her voice? He almost melted. "I'm not upset with you at all," she finished.

"I know," he said, a little too quickly. "I-I mean, you're right, of course, y-you always are. I fi-figured you might know, since you're, well..."

"An empath, right?" the corner of her mouth twitched like she was about to smile.

"Well, y-yeah." He grinned at her in a way he hoped she found acceptable, and maybe even charming.

Raven returned her gaze to the horizon. "Beast Boy… I'm sorry. I can't return your feelings."

All of it stopped. Beast Boy's thoughts, his heart, everything, he swore it stopped in that moment. His worst fear come to pass, and he let it. It washed over him, and emptied him. "...Why not?" He asked her.

"Because… I'm not ready." She angled her eyes down to look at the floor, her hood falling further over her eyes. "You know how dangerous my emotions are. I'm not ready for a relationship, emotionally. It's not only that it's dangerous. I don't know if I can even love someone like that, Beast Boy." She looked, once again, at him. "I might never be ready. I don't want you waiting for me, when it might never happen."

Blood began making it's way through his body again as his heart forced itself back to life, and neurons fired as they should to process her words. "But… but you might? Sometime in the future?"

She grimaced and looked away. "Beast Boy, please… don't make this harder than it needs to be. The only answer I can give you is that I'm not ready, and I probably never will be. Don't wait for me, don't get your hopes up. I'm… I'm sorry."

She fell through a dark portal in the roof and left Beast Boy to digest her pronouncement alone.

* * *

Silence. Dead Silence. Starfire couldn't move a muscle as Beast Boy's story came to an end.

"So… that's what happened that day. I know I told you I was just tired at the time, but I was really, really… not feeling good," he continued. "But… she never promised me anything. She didn't say that it would be me she went with if she changed her mind… It hurts, though. When she did change her mind, it was for _him._ Figures. I can't blame her. Who'd want to get with a green kid, anyway?" He mumbled, staring up at the ceiling.

Starfire stood up, which drew Beast Boy's eyes. Her hair was somewhat unkempt and wild today, and he couldn't see her face through it from this angle. What he could see was the green glow coming from her hands, as a powerful Starbolt formed in her right hand. He barely had time to react before she wound up like a baseball pitcher and threw the bolt, _hard,_ at the dartboard that still had Raven's picture taped to it.

A massive green explosion filled that whole half of the room as photo and dartboard were vaporized by the righteous fury of Starfire, Warrior Princess and Heir-Apparent of the world of Tamaran. Beast Boy threw up his arms to protect himself from shrapnel, but it seemed all the remains from Star's attack was too small to be even noticed, if anything was left besides an expanding cloud of vapor. As the dust cleared, he could see that there was now about a cubic foot of metal that had been sheared right out of the wall where the dartboard had been.

Starfire stood in place, her balled fists and eyes alike glowing brightly and fearsomely. Even the tips of her hair, which she had been allowing to grow much longer than usual through recent apathy regarding her appearance, shone bright orange as if on fire. She shook with barely concealed rage as Beast Boy sat, beholding the power of her emotions in awe.

"You are wrong, Beast Boy, about one thing. _She is not blameless._ " The glow slowly ebbed away as she turned to regard her friend. "You say you do not do the blaming of her… You should. She misled you. She lied to you. And you deserve better than _her._ " She spat the last word out like it sickened her.

Beast Boy, taken aback by the intensity of her declarations, took a moment to reply. "Star… it's… it's fine. ...Well, no, it's not fine, but… it's like I said, she didn't promise anything. It's not like she would have ever gone for me anyway. She needs someone that leaves her alone when she's meditating and is quiet when she reads. You've heard her insult me for being immature… I mean, that's one of her favorite things to pick on me for. She needs someone who's mature. Not a stupid, _green_ brat that never grew past fifteen."

Starfire loomed over him and grabbed him by the shoulders. "GARFIELD! You will cease insulting my dearest friend this instant!"

Alarmed, he sputtered, "W-wh-what!? Who!?"

"You!" She shouted again, choking back a sob. "You are my dearest friend! I do not want you speaking of yourself or thinking of yourself in such a such a manner!" She sniffled, a tear streaming down her cheek as she did. " _Curse_ her, for making you think of yourself this way! That _Clorbag_ was NEVER worthy of you!" She pulled him by his shoulders into her chest and crushed him in a powerful hug.

Beast Boy was rather stunned. For one thing, that was a very impressive show of power he just witnessed, and for another… well, he wasn't really used to people sticking up for him like that. Especially not in such an intense, harsh way. "S-Starfire..."

"Koriand'r..." She murmured into his ear.

"Huh?"

"My true name… It is Koriand'r. It felt… unfair, that I know your true name when you do not know mine." She explained. "And… I would quite like to be called 'Koriand'r' by you. And I would like that right now." She sounded kind of shy. At least, shy for Starfire.

"Koriand'r…? I love it!" Beast Boy cheered, brightening a little from how he had been. "Hey, is it okay if I call you 'Kory'?"

The smile that Beast Boy thought should always adorn Koriand'r's face returned in strength, and she nodded. "I love your nickname, Garfield. You may call me that whenever you like!"

"Well," he said. "If I'm gonna call you Kory, you can call me 'Gar'. I'm not a big fan of my actual name."

Kory grabbed him again, this time her happiness lifted her off the ground with him in tow, and she spun in a circle with him clutched to her chest. "Joyous! I am honored, Friend Gar, to be allowed to use this nickname for you." When they landed, She let him go, but took him by the hand once more. "Gar… I want to say one thing more. If you are ever feeling the down, or you are thinking such terrible things of yourself again… please, come to me immediately so that I may help and make you see truth. I never want to hear you believing yourself worthless again. You are my beloved friend, and I am honored and overjoyed to be able to call you that."

Beast Boy looked up, into her warm, loving eyes and brilliant smile, and felt… safe. He felt like the barbs that had been tearing into him were lifted out and his wounds salved. He really believed that he was worth something, that Raven and Terra were not too good for him, and that he was right in feeling wronged. And yet despite that, he felt no anger at the moment. He knew he would shortly, but looking up at his wonderful teammate and friend, how could he feel rage? He threw himself into her arms again, squeezing her tightly around the midsection.

They stayed that way for a minute or so, allowing themselves to bask in the warmth and love to recharge and repair their damaged hearts. Kory gently rubbed Gar's back and he squeezed tighter.

When they separated, they each had to force themselves to come away, and shivered in the colder feeling air without the other. They bade each other goodnight and separated, Kory staying behind, insisting on cleaning up the mess herself.

* * *

Garfield clenched his fists, leaning his head back against the rear wall of the elevator. Now that he had left Starfire's- or rather, Koriand'r's presence, his emotions began to return to normal. She had been bringing out only the positive in him, but now…

He felt rectified. Like he had been a trolley with a wheel out of it's tracks, but had been set straight. His mind unclouded, he saw, thanks to Kory, what Raven had really done to him… In fact, what Raven and Nightwing had both done to Kory and him. She was right- Raven had knowingly hurt him. So had Nightwing. They had said, when they announced their new relationship, that it "just happened" during their mission. Well, Nightwing knew that Kory was exclusive to him at the time. Raven had known full well everything she told him on the roof about probably never being ready. And yet they let it happen anyway.

A surge of anger fluttered down his body from the top of his head to his feet, and he took a deep breath to control it. He stopped the elevator, redirecting it from his bedroom floor to the training room.

Now that he was feeling it, it was time to face this rage.

* * *

 **AN:** That was a lot of story to write out. So with Robin and Raven broken up, will they pursue Starfire and Beast Boy right away? What will Starfire and Beast Boy do next? How will they learn that their loves have broken up, and how will they feel about it? To be continued...

I hope you enjoyed my story, and I would very much appreciate a review!


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Thank you all for the huge response to chapter 1! I was really not expecting as many kind words and reviews as I got. It also seems I'm not the only one interested in this kind of story. I didn't answer all of your reviews and I'm sorry, I've been pretty busy. Rest assured I read all of them, and hold each one near to my heart. Reviews, favs and follows motivate me to continue. I hope you enjoy chapter 2 as well!

* * *

Much of the mess in the common room had been cleaned up silently. Wrecked furniture moved out by clouds of black energy, broken glass swept up. The room was nearly hollow when they were done. Given how often the common room was trashed by either attacks, Raven's emotions, or even friendly roughhousing that got out of hand in the way only superheroes can pull off, there were plenty of spares available in one of the Tower's storage rooms.

"I'm sorry for this." Raven said, as they stood in the close to barren room.

"It's not a problem." Nightwing replied. "We'll just move in the new furn-"

"That's not what I mean, and you know it."

Nightwing sighed. "That's not your fault either. We both jumped on this relationship too fast."

She shook her head. "I mean, I'm sorry for jumping on you in that foxhole in Romania..."

"...You jumped on me? I was just about to apologize for pressuring you, back then."

Raven considered arguing with him, but instead she just sighed. They could easily go back and forth all night taking the blame back and forth when, in reality, they knew that their ill-advised hookup was quite mutual. "It's in the past now, Dick. And I want to make sure it stays that way."

"I know. Me too," he answered, awkwardly. A silence settled for a few seconds between the pair of exes.

"Dick… We need to think about you and Starfire." Nightwing flinched at her name. He and Raven never talked about it. It was a terrifying idea, facing Starfire, after all this. "I know that your relationship with her isn't in good shape, but-"

"That's an understatement, Raven." Nightwing interrupted her. "My relationship with her is _destroyed._ I don't think she's even open to the idea of being friends again."

"She still cares about you. I can feel it within her, Dick. It's buried under layers of hurt, but it's there."

"And where does that leave you?"

"The same place I was before, Dick. Single. That's probably for the best." A black spark arced from her index to her middle finger, and she tried to move that hand behind her back. Unfortunately for her, Nightwing noticed.

"What about Beast Boy?" He asked. The spark jumped down to the floor and left a small singed spot. Cyborg's always getting after them for messing up his nice clean floor, now he's going to need to get out the magic erasers again.

"What about him?" her breathing changed minutely, and again, Nightwing noticed. He had to wonder if she really thought she could have kept it a secret from the pupil of the world's greatest detective.

"When we got together… he stopped pestering you. In fact, I don't think he's said anything to you at all. I know you've missed him."

She waved it off. "Of course I did. Annoying as he might be, he's my friend. I was happy that I could meditate without being interrupted every five minutes, but not that he stopped speaking to me entirely."

"Then why were you angry at me for not doing what he used to?"

The computer console behind them turned black, and the glass covers over a few meters cracked. "Are you _really_ starting this argument with me again, Nightwing!?" A fire was lit in her eyes as she stared him down, and he raised his hands to placate.

"No, this isn't about us anymore. It's about them." He knew she was just trying to distract him. She knew as well as he did where the conversation was going, and it wasn't something she would admit in a private diary, much less out loud to another person. "I think you know what I'm getting at. It'll be easier if you just admit it. To me, and to yourself."

The two of them stared each other down for minutes, Dick just barely keeping himself from backing down out of fear, until the fire in Raven's eyes extinguished and she slumped under the weight of her own suppressed feelings. "Fine. It's true. I just… I didn't realize what I had until he was gone. How much he really did for me."

"How much you really cared about him?" Nightwing added, receiving a glare, but a nod.

"Reluctantly." She settled on the floor and suppressed another wave of emotion. Sadness this time. A black, glowing puddle of shadow grew on the floor underneath her. "Dick… I don't know how he feels about me anymore."

"What do you mean? Can't you read his emotions?"

She shook her head. "I used to. But somehow, he can block me out. I can barely feel anything from him anymore." The shadow grew. "Do you know the feeling... of lying under a warm blanket, enjoying the feeling of comfort and security it brings… and then having it taken away, and suddenly you're just sitting on the cold, concrete floor? No comfort, no warmth, no rest to be had."

"That's what it's been like?" Dick felt a wave of guilt come upon him. So this was how she felt during their relationship.

"I can still feel _your_ emotions easily though, Dick. And it's not your fault. No one's ever felt that strongly, that… warmly, about me before him. And I didn't even notice until it was gone, and I was shivering." She had a moment to breathe deep, and let out a whispered mantra. "I didn't appreciate what I had. What he gave me. And I broke his heart. Just like _she_ did."

"Raven… You're nothing like she was."

"Aren't I, Dick? She gained his trust. She treated him kindly. And then she betrayed him. The only difference was that she treated him kindly where I didn't."

"And when did you try to kill him and all his friends?"

Raven didn't answer that.

"Raven, You can't keep accusing yourself like this. I mean, it's good that you know you could have treated him better, but you shouldn't give up entirely."

"Look who's talking, Mr. Our-Relationship-Is-Destroyed."

Nightwing finally settled on the floor across from her. "Then it seems we're at an impasse. Neither of us believe in our chances with Starfire and Beast Boy, and the other doesn't want them to give up."

"True," she answered.

"We might have to work together on this one."

"Because _that's_ such a good idea. What do you think happens when we've begun courting them and we're caught in the same room together, talking strategy? How do you think that will look, Dick?"

Dick swore under his breath. "This is a lot more complicated than I expected."

"Romantic relationships tend to be."

"One thing's for sure." He added, catching her curiosity. "We already make much better friends than lovers."

She spared him a small smile as she phased out.

* * *

This seemed a lot easier when he was talking it over with Raven in their wrecked living room, Nightwing thought. He probably got the tabloids talking when he showed up at a florist's and asked for the right bouquet to apologize to a woman.

Funny, those same tabloids always liked to theorize that he'd be better off with Raven than Starfire. Calling them "The Birds" and claiming that the two dark, brooding superheroes were perfect for each other, with that flimsy similarity as their justification.

It wasn't doing him any good to think about the past now. He was now standing just outside the elevator on the residential floor, holding a massive bouquet, and trying to figure out how to apologize to an alien warrior queen for breaking her heart.

He knocked on her door when he reached it, finding himself praying that she wasn't there, that she'd be… wherever it was that she and Beast Boy kept disappearing to, recently.

His heart hit his boots as the door clicked, and slid open to reveal Starfire's gloriously smiling, radiantly beautiful face… that instantly dropped into a disapproving snarl as she discovered who was waiting for her on the other side. Even though she hadn't said it, Nightwing could almost hear the "Oh, it is merely _you._ " ringing in his head. He couldn't help but wonder if it was Beast Boy she was hoping to see.

"Nightwing. What is it you want?" Her voice was a monotone, though not a dead one. More of a barely contained anger. She eyed the flowers without exposing her feelings on them one way or another.

"Um, Hi, Starfire." Someone give me a medal for eloquence, he thought to himself. "I came by to… to apologize."

She stared directly into his eyes, hers slightly glowing, and he felt real fear. In this regard, the Bat had nothing on Starfire. "For what do you apologize?" she asked him simply.

"For..." well, that was a loaded question. Did she want him to admit to what he did? Was this a test? "For what I did to you..." He answered, knowing as the words left his mouth that was a stupid thing to say.

Starfire heaved a sigh and leaned against her doorway, arms crossed. He was suddenly aware she was standing, not floating. "I see. You are here to apologize for betraying my feelings, and my heart."

That… sounded far more severe than even he had thought of himself. "I… Yes."

"You are here to apologize… for leaving me so that you could have my _sister_ instead."

"...Yes."

"Are you also here to apologize, Nightwing, for throwing back all of the non-conditional love that I gave you over the years? The love that I had once so stupidly thought was returned?"

"Starfire, Kory, I-"

"DO NOT!" She yelled, so loud that he shrunk back. "You may NOT call me 'Kory'! You are only to refer to me as Starfire!" She took in a shaky breath. "You only ever valued me as Starfire, and I was the fool to think otherwise. Not as Koriand'r, the person… Only as Starfire, the warrior."

"That's not true!" He defended himself. "It's… it's not. I've always valued you as a friend."

"Oh," she spoke, icicles falling from her breath in his mind "As a friend."

He cringed. "It was more than that-"

" _Please,_ Nightwing," She said, the rage having given way to sadness. "No more. I cannot take any more of this from you." She began reaching for the door close button. "You would be better off giving those flowers to your new beloved, Raven."

"Raven and I broke up."

Starfire's hand stilled. "...Then why have you come here?" The rage began to return. "Have you come to make the rebound of me!? I should strike you down for such an insult!"

"No!" He shouted, louder than he intended. "No. I only came to apologize for what I did to you."

Starfire still stared at the flowers he held, as he gently, slowly extended them towards her as if trying to convince her they were not a weapon. "Please forgive me, Starfire."

For minutes, the two of them stood there. Dick refusing to back down until Starfire had given him an answer.

She sighed and looked down, away from him and the flowers, and brought her hand back up to the door close button. "I cannot. Not yet, perhaps not ever." and she shut the door.

* * *

What Raven wanted to believe most right now, was that Beast Boy was going to be the same as he always was for her. Sure, he got sad sometimes. When the nightmares catch up to him. When the Beast grows louder.

When Terra happened.

But through all of that, Beast Boy came through it eventually. And often, it was she that helped him through it. How many times had she met him out by the beach, on his rock?

And so, she wanted to believe that today would be just like that. She was going to go to him, show a little more emotion than normal, and simply, earnestly apologize.

It would work out well.

Since she couldn't sense his emotions anymore, she had no idea of whether or not he was in his room, so she would just have to hope. Like someone who couldn't sense other's presences or something. Like a _normal_ person.

She knocked on his door and immediately heard something inside fall over, followed by a muttered curse. She heard his footsteps as he approached the door, but then he just stopped. As best she could tell, he was right on the other side of the door, but not doing anything. Was his door mechanism broken? She knocked again.

Nothing. He was definitely standing right there, _just_ on the other side. She couldn't sense his emotions anymore, but she could feel his lower, animal mental functions, like the impulses that called for one to eat or sleep, albeit faintly. He was just standing there, waiting.

"Beast Boy?" She called out.

"...What do you want?" he answered.

She bit her lip. Was this a bad time? "I wanted to talk to you. Can you open your door?"

Another few seconds passed, and she could hear the manual unlock click, and Beast Boy pulled his door open, but only barely. It reminded her of herself, barely opening her door as a signal she was not to be disturbed for long. He peered at her through the crack. "So, what is it?"

She was briefly taken aback by his curtness, but had to press on. "Can I… come in?"

He grimaced. "Do you have to?"

"I would prefer to, rather than speaking through the door."

He sighed and shut the door again, reengaging the lock and then letting the automatic mechanism open it. "Come in, I guess."

Her first thought might have been that he didn't want her in his eternally dirty room. But to her shock, as she entered, his room was perfectly clean. Well, the floor was anyway. The shelves and his bed's lower bunk was still piled high. However, judging from the multiple half-full garbage bags and storage boxes scattered around the room, that might not be true for long.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm cleaning." he answered, turning away from her and continuing to sort through the junk on one of his shelves. "You're always raggin' on me about having a messy room. Woulda thought you'd be happy about it.

"I am," She responded airily. He didn't acknowledge, and kept cleaning. Raven floated over to his bed and sat down on an open space to watch him.

"So, what'd ya wanna talk about?" He asked.

"I wanted to apologize, Beast Boy. For hurting you."

He stopped cleaning, but didn't look at her. "So what." he breathed. "It's not a big deal."

"Beast Boy, it's definitely a big deal. It always is when someone hurts you, especially if it was me."

"Hasn't stopped ya in the past, then," he answered, pulling something clad in leather off the shelf that she realized was a military-issue knife. He pulled it out of it's sheath to examine the blade, before returning it and putting it on a lower shelf.

This was already not going the way she wanted it to. Raven was feeling a headache coming on. "Well… I'm sorry, Beast Boy. I'm sorry that I hurt you."

He turned around and looked at her for a moment. "Alright… can you go, now?"

Beast Boy had _never, ever_ told her to go away. She didn't think it was even possible. "Wh… What?"

"I asked ya to go. Figured you'd get that since you used to say that to me whenever I was in speakin' distance. Before the past couple a' weeks, I mean."

She crossed her arms, regathering her composure. "And did you ever listen when I did?"

He shrugged, as if none of this made any difference to him. "Guess not, but don't worry. You won't even have to say it anymore, I'll stay out of your way."

Raven squeezed her fists just under the amount of pressure it would take to cut into her palms. "Why do you want me to leave, Beast Boy?"

"Because I don't want to talk to you."

"Why is that?"

He ignored her, and returned to sorting.

"Real mature, Beast Boy..." Raven groaned.

He stopped sorting again. She waited for the inevitable joke or comeback.

"You think it's funny, don't ya." His voice sounded… beaten. Like he had just lost a fight, and badly. "That's all I ever get around here, anyway. Only Starfire and Cyborg really care. Our _glorious leader_ won't shut up about how I need to train or I'll hold the team back, like he knows anything at all about _superpowers._ And then _you_ wanna come in here, into my room, and call me immature. We haven't even _talked_ to each other in _weeks_ and you just come in here, apologize for, for _something_ ya won't even be specific about and then call _me_ immature!?"

"Who's fault is that? You're the one that locked yourself in your room that whole time." Her barriers were cracking, her forced monotone at it's limit.

"Don't try to distract me!" He shouted at her, steadily raising his voice as he went. "You think it's funny that I'm the loser of the team. I'm not a _real_ superhero like the rest of you, I'm the… I'm the comic relief. I'm the Scrappy Doo that no one really wants around. I'm the dumb kid with the funny animal powers. I'm even _green._ " He heaved in a breath. "That's your favorite target isn't it? Just like that time we were in Tokyo. Things were _finally_ going my way for a change, and then _you_ had to butt in on something that I _didn't say to you,_ and what did you say? 'You're green, you have fans, and your ears are pointed,' Right? Wanna say it to me again? Come on, I'm right here. You can say it again. Won't even feel it this time now that I know it's how ya feel about me."

Raven didn't speak, she was too busy being flabbergasted.

"What, can't say it without an audience? Cause ya sure liked slappin' me live on TV! I mean, I know I'm hideous and all, what with the green skin and the elf-ears, it's not like ya have to remind me. Real mature, _Raven,_ making fun of me for my looks. Always thought you'd be the type to look past physical appearance, what with the empath thing, the emotions and whatnot, but I guess getting with prettyboy Nightwing disproved that. Shoulda known."

Beast Boy caught his breath after ranting for minutes, as Raven stared at him, not moving or speaking, a shocked look on her face. It was getting unnerving to him. "Well?" He asked. "Got nothin' to say?"

All hell broke loose quite literally as Raven's powers exploded out from her body like a grenade, knocking down furniture and ripping apart his boxes and trash bags, re-scattering the garbage and possessions alike around the room in a whirlwind. His top bunk came loose and tipped over with a crash, and a stack of comics were shredded to mutlicolored confetti. Beast Boy was yelling, but he could barely be heard over the maelstrom. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to force her raging emotions under control. Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos.

She opened her eyes just in time to see the last of the wreckage falling, and her heart with it. This was the second time today that her fragile powers had gone out of control and destroyed a room of the tower, but the common room was designed to take it. This? This was inexcusable.

She had destroyed valuable, personal possessions of his. She had destroyed his furniture, shredded his comics, and ruined his clean room, the first time she'd seen it anywhere near spotless… ever. Ruined.

And where was he, anyway?

Her heart pounding, Raven whipped her head side to side trying to spot him in the wasteland, and finally looked down, where she found him crumpled in a heap.

"Beast Boy?" She called, softly, shakily.

When he sat up and pulled his hand away from his cheek, Raven's whole world stopped spinning. There was a shallow gash running horizontally from close to his ear to his mouth, dripping blood. A lot of it. It would probably need some unsightly stitches. Right on his face. Embedded in the wall to her right was his military knife, now freed from it's sheath again, and stuck three inches into the wall. An inch to the left, and she might have killed Beast Boy by accident.

"Oh… Oh god, Beast Boy, I'm so-" she began, as she reached out her hand, glowing with blue light, to heal him.

"NO!" He shouted, throwing out his hand blindly, shoving her away from him by her face and leaving behind a bloody smear besides. He breathed deeply (and painfully) In an attempt to calm down, eyes locked with hers as if he expected her to stab him in the back the moment she had a chance. "Just go, Raven. I have to get this fixed up, and then I've got cleaning to do again. Just… just leave me alone."

Raven made it all the way back to the elevator before the tears started.

* * *

Before she could return to the common room, she had to stop by her bedroom to clean the blood from her face and apply some eyedrops, then take a painkiller and a glass of water for the headache. By the time she made it back, Nightwing was already there, sitting at the table, and if his slumped posture and the bouquet he was still holding was any indication, it looked like he hadn't faired much better than she had.

Not that he could possibly have done worse than she did, she thought.

Raven took a seat across from him and he glanced morosely up, then back down at his rejected flowers. "She didn't forgive me. How'd it go with you?"

"I… I made things worse. He probably hates me, now."

They both sighed and settled in for their pity-party.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Nightwing asked, "I don't think I've got a chance with Star anymore..."

"Nor I, with him. If I ever had a chance to begin with." That was a depressing thought. "Maybe I could… I don't know, help him find someone else?" _Someone that deserves him,_ she didn't give voice to.

Nightwing flinched, but couldn't really argue with her. He just didn't have the fight left in him. He pushed the flowers away and leaned on the table, ready to lay his head in his arms like a kid.

A soft 'clack' brought Nightwing out of his trance, as Cyborg had appeared out of nowhere, and set down a mug of coffee beside him. Raven gazed up at her big brother as he set down a cup of tea for her as well, and took a place for himself between them.

"Don't tell me the two of ya'll're givin' up, already." He stated calmly and evenly.

"What else is there to do?" Raven asked, "I hurt him, he didn't talk to me for weeks, and the first time we talk after all that time, I hurt him again."

Cyborg folded his hands on the table and looked back and forth between his leader and little sister. "Are you two forgetting that you live with these people? You're on a team with them? Ya can't just give up unless you're also planning to _pack_ up. Cause I dunno if you're aware, but if you decide to throw in the towel, we can't have ya anymore. The team won't function like that. And I don't think it'd be fair to boot _them_ out, would it?"

"Of course not." Nightwing answered, immediately. "...Fine, I get it. We have to make up with them. At least enough to work together. How do you propose we do that, Cyborg? In case you haven't noticed, they kind of hate us now."

"Wing, I know this is askin' a lot from you, but can ya stop bein' dramatic for just a few minutes?" Cy took a deep breath, the only sound in the room being the first stage of his artificial respiration system. "They're angry with you, but that's all. I don't think B's capable of hating _anybody,_ and Star was willin' to forgive _Blackfire._ I think you might have some chances left." He reached out and extended his arms to grasp each of his younger siblings around the shoulders and pulled them in, forcibly nestling each one against his chest at either side, easily overpowering their attempts to break free.

"Cyborg, I will _she_ _a_ _r off_ your arm if it's what it takes to get out of this chokehold." Raven threatened.

"Oh baby sis, always such a kidder! But seriously now, I'll put in a good word for the two of ya. Soften em up a little, y'know? How's that sound?"

"As if we have a choice." Raven droned. "Anything's better than nothing. To be honest, I'd take pretty much anything if it could work..."

"Glad ya see things my way," Cyborg said, releasing both heroes from his iron grip. "Now until then, ya'll need to work on yourselves." his smile disappeared and he grew serious. "Some things are gonna need to change. But I ain't holdin' your hand for all that. But like it or not? You four are gonna fix these relationships. Even if I have to lock you in the closets by pairs."

Cyborg stood and left them, then, turning the light off to remind them it was well past time for bed.

"He was just joking with that last part, right?" Raven asked.

Nightwing pretended he didn't hear.

* * *

 **AN:** I know, I know, I'm mean. Don't worry, this isn't the kind of story to end on a sad note. I'd like to thank my friend Ava Chanel for encouraging all of my bad ideas and kindly lending me her thoughts on them! Go read her stories too, she's a wonderful writer!

Next time, Cyborg has a chat with Starfire and Beast Boy. Will it help things? Does Raven know how she hurt Beast Boy so badly? Will Starfire ever forgive Nightwing? **To Be Continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** I did NOT expect such a massive response to this story! I am so, so happy that all of you enjoyed this, and I really hope I don't let you down with this chapter. That said, quite a few of you wanted more interaction between Kory and Garfield, and there is plenty of that in this chapter.

However, there is a part of this chapter that may appear at first to hint at a relationship that is not BBRae or RobStar. I don't usually talk about the future in these author notes, but no ships aside from BBRae and RobStar are planned for this story. Maybe next fic...

* * *

This time, when Koriand'r called Garfield, it was to her room rather than their den in the basement levels. The last thing she wanted to do right now was run into either of her less welcome teammates, and Gar could move silently and near-invisibly through the tower's halls as a small insect. Within a minute of her text, she heard a knock at her door.

This time, Kory felt safe to smile as she answered, and so she did, broadly and warmly. Garfield slid softly into her arms for a hug and the past her, into her bedroom. He was dressed unusually for him, apparently wearing his uniform, but a black hoodie was over it, keeping his face partially obscured.

"I bid you welcome to my chambers, Friend Gar!" Kory said, leading him by the hand to her bed to sit down. "I am most thankful that you came at my invitation."

"No prob, Kory." Gar said. "So what'd ya need?"

Kory's joy faded. "Ugh. It is Nightwing, Gar. He came to my door last night, offering a floral arrangement and an apology, as if that is all that is needed to recover the hurt he has cause to me."

"You too, huh?"

Starfire whipped her head around, right into Gar's face, so fast it was a wonder that it was still attached. "Did Raven come to you as well!?"

Beast Boy threw up his hand as if he expected Starfire to strike him, which got her to back off. Before she could say anything about it, he answered: "Yeah, she did. What happened with Nightwing?"

Reminded of the previous night, Kory huffed. "He came to my door and offered the generic apologies. He did not do to me a misdeed that was small. He did the betraying of my heart! And with the woman who I considered a sister in all but blood!? Flowers will not do the cutting of it!" She slammed her fist down on her bed, which nearly bounced Beast Boy off onto the floor, causing her to reach out and steady him with a quiet apology. She sniffed and wiped quickly at her eyes. "I… I must do the confessing. For but a brief moment, I… did want to forgive. To feel him in my arms once more. But I am afraid, Friend Gar." She sniffled again, taking a moment to reign herself in as Gar rubbed her back. "May I ask of you a difficult question, Garfield?"

"Anything." Garfield replied.

"...When Nightwing and Raven..." She paused a moment, unwilling to say the words. "When _it_ happened, Nightwing and myself were… we were not formally courting. However, we often exchanged intimate gestures. I was not… I was not dating anyone besides him, nor was I even looking upon another person the way I looked upon him. I had assumed that was true of him as well." She looked right into Garfield's eyes. "Did he cheat on me, Friend Gar?"

Beast Boy took hold of her hand and gently rubbed over her wrist. "I can't say that for sure, Kory, but… that's what it sounds like t'me. At the very least, he lead you on like _hell._ "

She nodded. "Thank you, Friend Gar. Now I know why I hurt so much." She worked up a smile for him. "I will face my pain like a warrior does.." A realization struck her, and her smile dropped. "Oh no! I have done the neglecting of my friend's needs! I am sure you wish to do the 'venting' over your and Raven's conversation, as well. And… why are you wearing a hooded sweatshirt?"

"Uh..." Beast Boy faltered. "I don't want to talk about it." He mumbled, pulling the hood further down to cover his face.

Starfire blinked. He was uncomfortable. He could not be uncomfortable with her, given how close they were these days, but he may be uncomfortable in her room. It is, after all, a girl's room, and the unfamiliar décor and scent may stress his animal-like instincts. "Would you be more comfortable if we moved our conversation to the den?"

They had taken to calling the lair they constructed in the basement levels "the den". Beast Boy nodded and Starfire helped him up as they wordlessly made their way out the door.

* * *

If Raven was the kind of girl to give up, she'd be dead many times over. The appearance, and subsequent banishment, of her father on this physical plane taught her the value of perseverance.

And while there was a massive difference between combating a near-invulnerable force of evil and seeking the forgiveness and romantic attention of a friend, she was equally determined. Nothing was going to hold her back.

As she wandered the halls, searching for her next move, a pair of footsteps caught her attention, and she faded into the shadows, not particularly wishing to speak to anyone at the moment, but her interest was piqued when she saw who was coming.

Beast Boy and Starfire were walking side by side down the hall, in silence. Raven noted the hoodie Beast Boy was wearing, and felt another pang of guilt as she realized it must be because of the gouge she allowed her powers to slice into his face. She wondered if anyone else was aware of it yet.

Where were the two of them going together, anyway? She knew it was none of her business, but she felt a bit uneasy about the whole thing. She convinced herself that she would only be looking out for them if she followed a bit, and began jumping from shadow to shadow.

Although she was still blind to Beast Boy's emotions, Starfire's were like a brightly lit beacon as usual, and Raven used her to track the pair of them as they moved from hallway into elevator, and began a descent past the tower's ground floor. That was unusual, the basement floors were all storage. Only rarely did anyone on the team have reason to go down there. And if those two were going down there alone… maybe it was selfish, but Raven had a bad feeling about this.

She sensed the elevator stop at one of the lowest floors of Titans grounds, and both of her estranged teammates stepped off. Raven phased into the mercifully darkened storage room behind them, finding it full of boxes of scrap Cyborg had a habit of hoarding. They must have come down here for privacy. Raven knew she was intruding now, but it didn't stop her from ghosting silently after Starfire's emotional signature.

While she _had_ assumed that they came down here for privacy, she _hadn't_ expected to find _this._ In a clearing in the cardboard forest surrounding them, Beast Boy and Starfire had a couch, a fridge, a table, a stereo and a TV in a little room they seemed to have built, and it was well used. She noted the crater gouged into the wall, surrounded by scorch marks and deduced Starfire had shot the wall for some reason. The dartboard hung up right beside the gouge gave at least some explanation for that, especially given the fact that a picture of Nightwing smiling had been taped to the center of said dartboard.

Raven was just glad it wasn't her picture hung up there. A bit of purple drew her eye to the floor, where she found a scrap of glossy photo paper that was obviously depicting some of her hair. The edges of the scrap were heavily burned. Raven glanced back at the crater in the wall, then back to the destroyed photo, and connected the dots.

She wasn't given anymore time to consider it, as Beast Boy and Starfire were sitting down on their couch. Raven flitted back out of the little room and returned to corporeal form with seconds to spare in her spirit form, and knelt on the ground on the other side of the box wall to listen.

"Friend Garfield..." Starfire began. "Whether you wish to tell me why you are doing the hiding of your face, or of what Raven said to you, I wish to listen to both of them. Please forgive my doing the prying."

"It's okay Kory. I'll tell ya both of em… But before I take off the hoodie, ya gotta promise to listen to me, okay?"

Raven heard the thump of Starfire pounding a fist into her chest. "I swear it, Garfield." So, they were on first name basis… Raven didn't even know Starfire's name was 'Kory' or that there was somehow a way to call Beast Boy by his first name that didn't irritate him.

"Okay." She heard Gar shuffle his clothes around and drop the hoodie to the floor.

"...Gar, that is…"

"Yeah, a bandage. It's about time for it to come off, actually..." There was a peeling sound, and Starfire gasped loudly.

"Gar! That is a very serious injury!" a footstep, presumably Star moving closer. "It is stitched already… Thank X'hal for friend Cyborg's expertise in medicine."

"I did it myself, actually. I know a lot about fixin' someone up… I've been at this game the longest, after all. Even Nightwing didn't start till he was like, eleven."

"I did not know that about you, Friend." Starfire's voice sounded warm, loving. Raven missed that sound.

"Yeah, well… I don't really like sharing that much."

"I will not push you to tell me, Friend." Raven bit her lip. She so wanted Starfire to push him… To learn anything she could. "However, I must ask- how did you become injured so severely?"

Raven held her breath. That singed photo flashed back in her memory and she realized that Starfire might just destroy her for this. Uh oh.

"Well..." Beast Boy stammered. "Last night when I was cleaning, when Raven came by-"

Beast Boy was cutoff by something, and Raven could _feel_ the temperature of the room raise, as sure as she could feel Starfire's emotions burn brighter in anger. Her boots stomped somewhere, and Beast Boy's voice picked up again. "Kory… Kory, we _just_ replaced that dart game- ah hell."

A small explosion rocked the room and Raven hit the deck to avoid being thrown out where they could see her- and doubtlessly, where Starfire would eviscerate her right then and there. Beast Boy was coughing, Star was breathing heavily. " **Garfield,** " she growled, " **Did Raven cause this wound?** "

"Well, uh… kinda, but-"

" **I will crush that insolent** _ **clorbag**_ **!** " She roared, shaking the foundations as well as Raven's boots. " **How dare she! How dare she not only break your heart, but scar your face as well!** " An ominous green glow was spilling out from the room.

"Koriand'r! It was an accident, she didn't mean it!" Beast Boy yelled, "You said you'd listeeen!"

After that, there was silence. Eerie silence, Raven felt. Her energy had returned to her, and, albeit nervous, she returned to her soul-form and moved through the shadows to where she could look at them again.

There was another gash in the wall where the dartboard had been, and Raven had to wonder if Star had taken the time to remove Nightwing's picture from it and replace it with one of her before blasting it… But more importantly for now, Beast Boy and Starfire were seated on the couch again, and she had mercifully calmed down. She and Beast Boy were sitting close… too close for Raven's tastes. She suddenly felt uneasy for a whole new reason. Starfire leaned in close to Beast Boy, who was backing off slightly. "I am sorry I scared you, Friend Garfield..." She whispered, and he stopped moving away.

"You didn't scare me, it's just… I'm not used to..." He trailed off.

"What is it, Gar?"

"I'm not used to… girls getting this close, heheh." He laughed nervously.

Starfire reached for his face and gently touched it, just above his wound. "We did the cuddling on this very couch only yesterday, Garfield."

"Th-that was cuddling?"

She smiled. "That is how I saw it." She leaned in close once more, and pressed her lips gently to his scar. Raven's heart pounded. She was watching Starfire, _Starfire,_ gently comfort and _kiss_ Beast Boy… after she had hurt him both emotionally and physically. And yet, she had to stay. She _needed_ to find out how she could fix this. If she could.

Beast Boy was frozen in place, but jumped away, bringing hope back to Raven. She would have expected him to _leap_ at any affection shown to him by Starfire, but it seemed she misjudged him. It was the first time since Terra he had received female attention…

Starfire's eyes twinkled with unshed tears at the thought she had hurt her friend. "Oh, please forgive me! I did not mean- I…" She looked away. "It has been some time since I knew the physical intimacy, Friend Garfield… the cuddling, the kissing..."

"It's alright, Kory." Beast Boy wrapped his arm around her in a half-hug. "You didn't hurt me or nothin'..."

"It was wrong of me, however, to kiss you without your permission, Friend Garfield. I..."

"It's cool, Kory. I just… I don't need any pity kisses, y'know?"

Starfire straightened up and leaned in close again. Beast Boy gulped. "Garfield Logan, I would _never_ insult you with pity. I am a warrior as you are, and there is no pity between warriors. Although it was wrong to do so uninvited, I kissed you because I _wanted_ to."

"But that's… I'm not… into you that way..."

She smiled warmly. "I know you are not. And though I hold immense affection for you, Garfield, it is not romantic in nature for me either." Her smile faded. "However… I feel an aching. I need touch, Garfield. To touch, and be touched."

Raven barely restrained herself from jumping out to put a stop to any _touching_ that Starfire intended to do with Beast Boy, while the man himself was coloring quickly from her words. "O-Oh, not _that_ kind of touching, Friend Garfield!" she cried. "I intended… What we did yesterday, as an example. You laid against me on the couch as we spoke. When I returned to the tower you hugged me and held me as I cried. That is the kind of touching I crave, Garfield… No, the kind I need. I know it is a heavy burden I am asking you to take… But it would mean a great deal to me if you would aid me with my need."

Gar gulped, and pulled himself against her in a hug as much of the tension visibly left her body. She relaxed and wrapped her arms around him, closing her eyes slowly. A low rumble began in her chest, which sounded remarkably like a cat's purr. Beast Boy blinked, but started to rub her back gently. "You can count on me, Kory. I'd do anything for ya, y'know? Didn't know ya could purr, though..."

"Tamaraneans are feline in nature, Gaaarfield..." The princess crooned, laying against him. "We do, in fact... purr, as you put it..."

For a few moments more, Beast Boy and Starfire continued to cuddle. "Kory," Gar broke the silence, "Sorry to kill the mood by bringin' up they-who-must-not-be-named, but… Are you plannin' to ever forgive them?" Raven would have perked up if she inhabited corporeal form at the time. "I mean, I'm not sayin' one way or another that ya _should,_ just-"

"It is alright, Garfield." She drew away from him gently, though she remained in contact with him by his hands. "I… I cannot bear a grudge forever. I will forgive him, even if only for my own sake, eventually… I do not know if I could ever take him back, however."

"Fair enough." Beast Boy replied.

"And you, Garfield?"

Raven, still mercifully unseen, held her spectral breath. Garfield hesitated, unknowingly dragging out her suffering. "Kory… You know me. I can't really hold a grudge either. But I can't just let her hurt me again." Memories of what she said to him on the roof, when she told him she couldn't be in a relationship, only for her to announce, months later, that she was going out with Nightwing, returned unwanted to his mind. "After she… After _you know_ happened, I don't know if I can ever trust her again. At least, not with my feelings."

Sensing his pain, Starfire drew him back to her chest, this time taking the comforting role on herself as she squeezed his shoulder and pressed her lips to his cheek. "You do not need to entrust her with something so precious again, Garfield. She lied to you on the roof. She took that which was not free to take. Those who betray forfeit their right to the trust of one's heart." She spoke firmly. The words cut Raven deep.

Raven had a great many things to think about, and now was the time for her to take her leave. She had all the information she needed, and then some. Before her time as a shadow could run out, Raven escaped from the basement and warped up through the floors to her room.

Still in their den, Garfield slowly pulled away from Kory's loving embrace. She spoke to him: "Friend, if you are comfortable with me… please, tell me of what you and Raven discussed in your bedroom last night."

* * *

Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos.

Raven hovered in her room, as she was wont to do. There was a lot of thinking to do. A lot of questions to ask herself. A lot of decisions to be made.

Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos.

She had mixed feelings. She was, truthfully, overjoyed to have heard Beast Boy admit that he would forgive her. She even had hope to win him over in the future. He said that he didn't know if he would trust her again, and that was enough for her. She would prove it to him that she was worth his trust a second time.

Of course, There was quite a bit from the exchange that she didn't understand, which wasn't surprising. The big one being, what exactly did she do to Beast Boy?

Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos.

All this time, she had been assuming that he was merely heartbroken that his crush was with someone else. It would have been an understandable reaction. But as time wore on, it became clear to her that there was more simmering under the surface, and that was confirmed when she disturbed him in his room last night.

She supposed that the main thing she was curious about was what Starfire meant when she said "She lied to you on the roof..." Raven could recall a great many times she had visited Beast Boy on the roof and spoke to him, though no times that she lied to him. She was always quite truthful with everyone, as she did not have much to gain from lying.

Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos.

Roof. Roof. Roof roof roof… The last time they spoke on the roof it was simply to let him know that dinner was ready. That was after she and Dick began formally dating, and he was very unhappy at the time. Not a surprise. Since dinner really was ready for him at that time, that could not have been the deceit Starfire referred to.

The time before that was before the dating began, when she and Beast Boy were still on speaking terms… He came to see her that time. No, wait, she called him up. That was when she tried to let him down gently from the crush he had… How she regretted doing that now. But that couldn't be it, she was extremely honest about her feelings at that time. She told no lies. Only what he already knew and had even seen evidence of: how new to expressing emotions she was, how dangerous it could be…

Azarath, Metrion…

The "Zinthos" never came to her as her eyes snapped open and she fell to her bed, bouncing once and almost faceplanting to the floor in shock. Now she understood, _now she understood._

How in Azar's name could she be so _stupid,_ so _blinded_ to her surroundings… It was all too obvious now. She never intended it this way, she never thought of _this..._

She had been completely and totally honest with Beast Boy when she told him that she didn't think she could handle a relationship. No deceit intended. When she and Richard were in that foxhole together… she wasn't thinking. She wasn't thinking about her powers anymore, or about anyone else in her life but him. It wasn't until later that she realized that her powers were seemingly unaffected by their intimacy and relationship.

And through all that, she forgot to consider what it might look like she had done. She told Beast Boy, to his face, that she couldn't have a relationship, and then went back on her words right where he could see it.

She slid her face into her palms. What did it look like to him, exactly? That she had blown him off with a lying excuse? Or did he think that she was already dating Dick behind everyone's backs when she shot him down?

How long was it between the roof and the announcement anyway? Couldn't have been that long, months, maybe weeks. Close enough to be suspicious.

Oh Azar, _He had told Starfire._ Starfire knew. She had witnessed the enraged alien empress-to-be practically explode from the nick on Garfield's face… Raven knew she was in trouble.

She fell back against her pillow. She was already exhausted by this. She didn't have any of Garfield's loving emotions washing over her, she was newly single, her only interest wasn't speaking to her, and the next time they met, her sister-in-all-but-blood was most likely going to swat her like a fly. The odds were against her, and she just wanted all of this to be _over._

Wishing wasn't going to make it happen. That would take action. She was going to have to _earn_ Beast Boy's forgiveness… and Starfire's too. And maybe then, his trust as well.

Raven stood up and began pacing her room. She wasn't going to earn anything by sitting around, so it was time to think. How was she going to make all this up to him? Where to start?

* * *

"They… they really broke up?" Garfield asked, carefully keeping his voice neutral.

Koriand'r nodded. "It is as I said. Nightwing informed me yesterday evening. They are no longer courting."

Gar blinked and leaned back on the couch. "I… hm."

"Indeed." Kory replied, taking his hand. "I am… not sure how to feel. And I imagine you are not either."

"You'd be right, Kory. It's just… I don't really feel like askin' her out, that's for sure. But I'm also kinda relieved?"

She nodded. "It is not wrong to feel this way, Garfield. It is natural for us to still feel hopeful when the objects of our attraction separate. Even if we no longer see them as desirable mates."

Garfield was silent for a moment, considering what she said. "So Nightwing is undesirable to you now, Kory? Never thought I'd see the day, heh..."

Kory fiddled with her hands. "Well… I certainly cannot _trust_ him… Although he is still _physically_ desirable to me… N-not to imply that you are not, Garfield-"

"Relax." Gar said, as he began rubbing her shoulders. "I get what ya mean. C'mon, look at the guy." He stopped rubbing as he considered what he said. "…look at him..."

Starfire stood up and spun on her heel to look at him. "Cease!" She shouted.

"Wh-wha!?" Being yelled at by Starfire was a harrowing experience every time, and he didn't even know what he did wrong, but whatever it was he regretted it.

"You are doing the self-loathing. You believe yourself to be less attractive than Nightwing. Perhaps you even imagine yourself to be unattractive." She stated, glaring directly into his nervous eyes.

"W-well… aren't I? I mean, he's been Time Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive, and I'm-" He didn't get to finish as Starfire grabbed him by the shoulders and captured his mouth with hers.

It was not a kiss of romance or passion, but it got her point across and brokered no argument. She brought her lips away from his and said, "You are wrong, my friend. You are very attractive, and I promise you that I am not the only woman that has noticed." She smiled mysteriously, leaving the details unsaid. "I told you I would not allow you to think such negative things about yourself, Friend Gar. They are not true."

"K-Kory… you kissed me on the lips that time!"

She tilted her head to the side. "You did say you agreed to the touching, did you not? In fact, you said you would do anything."

It always surprised him, just how devious Koriand'r could be. "Yeah, but… Uh..."

She floated closer to him. "I have made you uncomfortable again."

"Well… kinda, yeah." He blushed. Starfire had already made it clear that she wasn't interested in him romantically, and neither was he in her, so it was kind of silly to assume that had changed in the last fifteen minutes.

"I am sorry, Friend. I merely wanted to stop you from saying such things, and convince you of your qualities…" Times like these, he knew, were hard on Starfire. Every now and then she would end up making a few faux pas in a row, and whenever she had to apologize a few times in succession, she'd end up down. He hugged her tightly.

"It's okay Kory. I'm fine with cuddling on the couch, holding hands and all that stuff, but kissing on the mouth is kinda..."

"I know that it is usually reserved for the romance, but… No, I will not make excuses for violating your boundaries. I promise you I will remember in the future." She separated from him. "Shall we return to the Tower, Friend? I would like to make a certain dish from my homeworld, it is far more appropriate for close friends!" She turned and began floating back to the elevator, once more able to fly with thoughts of her good friend, Beast Boy.

As Garfield went to follow her to what was likely to be a difficult lunch, he paused to regard a spot on the floor. It was just on the other side of the wall from their den, positioned so that someone sitting here would be able to listen to what went on inside.

The floor was about half a degree warmer in this spot, and dissipated enough to imply that whatever heat source had been here recently had been gone for around twenty minutes. More important to him, however, was that the smell he had caught a whiff of as they entered the room was stronger in this spot. Lavender, jasmine, aged paper, dust, clarifying shampoo, and acne wash. A complex scent that was as identifying as a fingerprint.

Raven had been here at the same time they were, arriving at the same time, and leaving roughly around the time that he began telling Starfire what happened in his room the previous night, information she would not need to be reminded of. She must have heard everything and then left before she could be caught. Sneaky.

Beast Boy turned his back on the evidence, invisible to all but him, and followed Starfire to the elevator before she noticed he was lagging behind.

* * *

 **AN:** Well, that was certainly something. I'm not too fond of this chapter, but I hope I did well enough. Please leave a review! I've been on cloud 9 this whole week from all of your reviews.


End file.
